


Never Forget

by GymVamp182



Category: Mpreg - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-16
Updated: 2015-02-16
Packaged: 2018-03-13 07:30:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3372971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GymVamp182/pseuds/GymVamp182
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucas abused by family, Brayden outcast and an unlikely love develops between the two with unexpected consequences and joy. A unique take on life in a different world where most of our reality doesn't apply angst, mature content, slash, mpreg, some language. Cross posted</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

What Now?

Lucas is a running back on his high school football team; however he isn't your typical jock. His gauged ears, various piercings and hair make sure of that. He is the kid that comes to school with different colored hair every week. That's one of the things his boyfriend Brayden loves most about him, the fact he is who he is and conformity is the enemy. Just as he felt and had done with an equal amount of piercings and tattoos being normal is overrated. Their small group of close friends are not what you might expect; they would rather play the latest video game until dawn then beer pong. Luckily Brayden didn't mind hanging out in dingy basements for hours on end watching them play even sometimes joining in on the game. They got a little intense for his taste at times but he had Lucas nothing else mattered. He knew Lucas was the one for him just waiting until after they graduated.

However lately Lucas has not been himself, he has been avoiding practice, games and any real physical contact even with Brayden it was extremely out of character. It was supposedly all due to some strange unknown illness. Unfortunately he has only been getting increasingly worse. He's been getting sick and more often then not you can find him head first in one of the schools large black trash bins with Brayden rubbing soothing circles on his back. As a result he was missing more and more school but still insisted he was fine it was just a virus and it has to run its course. His friends notice some changes and were beginning to worry. When they confront him about it he brushes them off and refuses to accept the possibility of what everything seems to be pointing to. It's an unlikely possibility, but one he fears could be accurate.

_Two weeks later_

As he walked up to his coach all he could think about was making sure he didn't let coach know why he had to quit. Coach Stokes was excited to see him thinking he has finally beaten the mystery illness and is returning to being an actively participating team member. These hopes are quickly dashed when he sees that Lucas is carrying his gear instead of wearing it. He tosses the lot onto the bleachers and starts to walk away without saying a word to anyone.

"Darian, where are you going?"

Lucas turns his head slightly looking over his shoulder

"I'm quitting the team"

"Why?"

"I just…can't. I can't do it anymore. It would be irresponsible, reckless and selfish of me to continue to play, I'm sorry coach." He turns and walks away with his head down as tears begin to form his hair just long enough to hide it.

He soon realizes that he needs to talk with Brayden about what's going on; after all it affects him too. Taking out his cell he holds down 2 and then lifts the phone to his ear.

"Hi babe, what's up?"

"I need to talk to you in person as soon as possible, it's important."

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know, but we need to talk… and soon." trying not to let the tears fall nor the sobs escape his chest while on the phone.

" You're scaring me, what's wrong?" His voice clearly laced with panic and concern. He received no answer and decided in person would be better

"Okay how does right now sound?"

"I'm not home"

"That's ok I'll come get you, where are you?"

"School sitting on the bleachers"

"Ok babe, I'll be there as soon as I can. Love you"

Lucas hung up the phone before he lost his composure and let a sob rip from his chest.

_15 minutes later_

Brayden arrives and starts his mad dash towards the bleachers. His mind is racing he's panicking; _Lucas is the level headed one. Whatever has him this upset must be really serious_. As he walked under the bleachers he heard heart breaking sobs and realized it was Lucas he stopped in his tracks trying to listen. Each sob was breaking his heart. Lucas looked to the sky with tears streaming down his face wringing his hands so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

"How am I supposed to tell him?" he then turned his gaze downward quietly adding. "What am I going to do" Brayden was almost in tears and trying to regain his composure he had to be strong for Lucas. He wipes the tears from his face and proceeds to walk up the ramp plastering on a smile. He greets Lucas with a hug and a deep passionate kiss that leaves them both breathless.

"What's going on babe?"

"…Do you love me?"

"Of course I do baby more than anything. What is it? What's wrong? You're scaring me"

Lucas falls silent and just stares at the ground; Brayden's heart feels like it's going to shatter from the look of pain in his loves eyes.

"Baby" Brayden takes Lucas's face in his hands and brings it so they are staring each other in the eye.

"Just tell me, whatever it is we can get through it, I promise."

Lucas is silent once again before he takes one of Brayden's hands from his face and puts it to his lower abdomen, all the while never breaking eye contact. Brayden looks at his hand, then back to Lucas and continues doing so for the next several minutes until it clicks and his eyes go wide in shock. Lucas then gets up and goes to lean on the bar at the front of the bleachers all the while staring into nowhere. A couple of seconds later Brayden gets up and walks over to where Lucas is standing. He turns to him looking him straight in the eyes. Lucas is looking everywhere but at him so he firmly guides his face to the correct position.

"I love you" *Kiss*

He then kneels, lifts up Lucas's shirt and kisses his stomach

"And I love you" at that moment Lucas burst into tears.

"Do you mean it? You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad? It may not be planned but it's OUR baby. This is a happy occasion no need for tears" Lucas shrugs and Brayden is grinning like a mad man. Brayden gets up off of his knees kisses him and they just stand there holding each other tight while tears fell silently. They broke the embrace only to walk to Brayden's car; he opened the door for Lucas as he usually did and buckled him in. Placing a soft kiss to his forehead and wiped the tear tracks from his lovers face with his thumbs making Lucas blush madly.

Ten minutes later

They pull into Brayden's driveway and are in such a state of heated passion. They slam into the front door breaking the chain. They slowly undress each other leaving a scattered trail of clothing in their wake as they travel to Brayden's bedroom for some extra curricular activities. By the time they reach Brayden's bedroom Lucas is in his boxers and Brayden's pants were barely hanging onto the ends of his boxers. There various states of undress made it easy to see their burning desire for each other. Brayden crawled on top of his love then sat up enjoying the moment both breathing heavily. With a devious grin he then went back to work and nipped at Lucas's neck lightly trailing up it until he reached his lips and they kissed passionately. Then a thought crossed Brayden's mind _is this safe?_

He forced himself off of Lucas who gave a discontented groan.

"Is this safe?" he asked through shallow breaths

"Uhhh… I am already Pregnant, it's a little late in the game to think about that don't you think?"

"No I mean, is it safe for *glances down*… him or her?" panic flashed across Lucas's face

"I hadn't thought about that…what if we hurt it! Oh God… we already messed up as parents!"

"Hey calm down, look at me… I am sure he or she is just fine. We need to make you a doctors appointment anyways we will ask them then ok?" *kiss*

"Have you been to the doctors at all yet?" Lucas shook his head to the negative

"Then that is the first thing we need to do"

"K" *yawn *

"Well maybe not the first thing"

Brayden gently pulls Lucas into his arms both of their hands resting on the next generation.

"What do you think your mom is going to say about the door?"

"I have no idea (*laughter*) probably something like. What the hell happened here? Did you forget how to open a door?"

Brayden looks down and finds that Lucas has fallen asleep; he presses a kiss to the top of his head and decides to join him in dreamland.


	2. Chapter 2

3 hours later

"Brayden Anthony Kirey what in the hell happened here?" his eyes burst open as he leaped out of bed finding his jeans and pulling them on.

"Where are you?"

"Right here mom, can you be a little quieter Lucas is asleep." Brayden says as his mom comes to meet him in the hallway

"So what he can sleep at home!"

"Mom seriously he needs his sleep, can we talk in the living room please?" She rolls her eyes but holds her hand out in the direction of the living room for Brayden to lead the way.

"Thanks" she just nods

They both settle into the couch and Brayden feels like his heart is going to burst out of his chest

"Well?"

"Well what?" his mom eyes the room and then turns back to look at him

"Oh yeah sorry about that, I'll fix the chain on the door tomorrow"

"Damn right you will, now what's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Lets see I come home to a broken door, clothes thrown everywhere and you look like you're about to have a heart attack, so spill"

"Lucas is here" his mom gives him a 'duh' look and waits patiently for her son to continue. His throat is so dry he can't swallow and his stomach is on knots. This is the moment that Lucas decides to make his entrance dressed in only his boxers and rubbing the sleep from his eyes smearing what little eyeliner he had left over and making him look slightly like a raccoon.

"What's going on out here?" Brayden gets up gives him a small kiss and leads him over to the couch

"Hi Mrs. Kirey how are you?"

"I would be better if you would tell me what's going on because Brayden can't seem to spit it out." Lucas instantly pales and it doesn't go unnoticed by anyone in the room

"Babe, you ok?" before he could finish the question Lucas was off of the coach making a mad dash for the hall bathroom. Brayden sighs and then proceeds to follow him

"Is he ok?"

"Yeah he has been uhh sick… just let me go make sure he is all right" his mother nods and leans back to patiently wait for her sons return.

*Knock knock* "Babe are you ok?" the only response he got was that of Lucas emptying his stomach forcefully followed by a small groan.

"Let me in" a soft click was heard and Brayden proceeded to enter the bathroom shutting the door behind him and began to wet a washcloth. Leaning down he pressed it to the back of Lucas's neck and proceeded to pass him some water as he leaned against the far wall.

"Feel any better?" Brayden received an eyebrow raise and a glare that told him how stupid that question really was.

"Do you think we can go talk to my mom now or do you not feel up to it?"

"I think, I'm ok now" Brayden helped him to stand and they proceeded out of the bathroom and back into the living room.

"Are you ok dear?" Brayden's mother asked genuinely concerned for the boys well being.

"Yeah I will be okay Mrs. Kirey, thanks"

"No problem dear, you're like my second son"

"Oh and sorry about the door…. and the mess"

"No worries, I am sure it wasn't truly your fault" she says sending a knowing glare in the direction of her son, who just rolled his eyes in response to this accusation.

"Because I am so terrible" the other two people in the room give a small chuckle

"So is anyone going to tell me what's going on?" the boys stare at each other for a moment before Brayden makes his first attempt at speech which just sounds like he is chocking on a squirrel.

"Is it really that bad?" At this Brayden finally finds his courage and begins to speak

"It's not bad at all just unexpected and I don't know how you will react is all"

"You know I love you both and you can tell me anything" she spoke softly and moved a little closer because she was starting to get really worried it wasn't this hard to get him to tell her he was gay or to talk to him about being 'safe' with Lucas. Brayden took a deep breath and decided it was better just to get it over with.

"Lucas…Lucas is…" he just couldn't find the words to tell her.

"What?" Lucas couldn't take this anymore and ran out of the room trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall, Brayden gets up to follow him when he is stopped by his mothers hand

"You are not leaving this room until you tell me what's going on!" he turns

"Lucas is pregnant ok, now let me go I have to make sure he is okay!" Throwing his free hand in the direction Lucas ran while glaring daggers at her. She stands there in shock trying to process the information she was just given but does what is asked of her and releases his arm with a small dazed nod.

_Brayden's room_

Lucas in sitting over the edge of the bed with his head in his hands when Brayden comes in, he sits next to him and pulls him into a tight embrace.

"We will get through this, I promise okay" he feels Lucas shake his head yes

"Hey" he pulls away from him so that they are staring face to face.

"I love you no matter what I will always be here you don't have to worry, I promise you…both of you" he said with a reaffirming stare and a quick kiss to the forehead before he resumed their tight embrace.

"I love you too I am just so overwhelmed. I'm really scared Brayden"

"I know babe, I know… I am too" unbeknown to either of them Brayden's mother had been listening to the whole conversation and had never been more proud of her son for the way he was acting it brought tears to her eyes. So calm collective and grown up even though he was terrified about the whole situation he kept it together and had his priorities straight. *Knock knock*

"Can I talk to you boys?"

Brayden looks down and mouthed "Is that ok with you?" at Lucas who wipes away the tear tracks and nods to the affirmative "Yeah ma, its ok" she cautiously opens the door to reveal her boys and that's what they were, and they needed her right now she could see that. Granted she was furious that her talks about safe sex seemed to have fallen on deaf ears but that was all in the past and right now they needed to be comforted not harassed.

"Mind if I sit?" Both shake there heads no and Lucas stands but is quickly pulled down onto Brayden's lap as he scoots over to allow his mom room to sit on the bed with them.

"First off, I am furious that our talks about safety apparently went in one ear and out the other _however_ that is all in the past so we will move on and look forward too the new experiences that are about to take place. Okay now Lucas have you told your parents?"

"No ma'am"

"Ma'am, since when do you call me ma'am?" she asked taken aback by the formality in which she was addressed.

"I thought it was only appropriate considering the situation"

"What situation? As far as I am concerned we are more family now then ever before"

"I just didn't know how you would feel about me now that I have for all intensive purposes ruined your son's future so I figured the more polite I am the less likely you are to ban me from seeing him."

The look on her face was that of utter shock, and then she did something that was

Completely Unexpected and smacked Brayden upside his head.

"Hey what was that for?"

"Two things, one what lies have you been telling him that would make him think that and two" *smack *

"Hey!"

"I can't hit him for his absurd thinking, he's pregnant!" Brayden sits like a dejected child and rubs the side of his head expecting some sympathy but all he receives is some stifled laughs from the small boy wonder on his lap and a large grin from his mom.

"Oh knock it off I didn't hit you that hard!" he makes a face and goes back to the conversation.

"Lucas you can call me mom you could have called me mom before this happened, numbskull here should have told you that ok, plus unlike most people I realize it takes 2 to get into this situation? Now Do you want me to help you tell your parents?" he nods and lowers his head trying to hide the fact that he is starting to cry but Brayden doesn't miss it and neither does his mom. Brayden looks at his mother silently asking her to address it, which she does.

"Sweetie why are you crying?"

"I know them they wont understand they will disown me!" he turns into Brayden's chest and begins to sob uncontrollably. He holds him tight and tries to comfort him as best he can. "I can't tell them, not only will they hate me but they will kick me out then what will I do?" of course it didn't sound anything like that between the crying and his face being smashed into Brayden's chest but they were able to decipher most of it at least enough to put the pieces together.

"You always have a place, right here…with me...us" Brayden kisses the top of Lucas' head and looks pleadingly at his mom for her to agree which she does and gives a slight nod while placing her hand on the young boy's back. They hear muffled noises emanating from the vicinity of Brayden's left pectoral. They look at each other quizzically and then turn to the cause of the noise.

"Umm… Lucas sweetie we didn't quite catch that last bit" he turns his face to the side just enough to let sound escape.

"I said, do you really mean that or do you just want me to stop crying?"

"I mean it… getting you to stop crying is just a bonus" *smirk *

"I love you, ya stupid jerk"

"I know, and I love you" this was followed by a very wet kiss more so due to the fact that Lucas had been crying then anything else.

"Alright how about you two go get cleaned up and I will make us some dinner" both raise an eyebrow at this remark. You see there were many things she could do well but cooking wasn't one of them.

"What? Dominick's or Pizza Shack?" she says as a grin spreads across her face an eruption of laughter soon ensues

"Pizza shack, please and thank you!"

"You got it" as she exits his room and begins dialing the number.

"Hey babe you feel any better?"

"A little, but I'm terrified of what my parents will do to me when they find out"

"Oh babe nothing will happen I will be there as will my mom, nothing will happen I'll make sure of it, don't worry"

"When and where are we going to do this?"

"Your choice love"

"Of course it is, well there is no time like the present I suppose."

"Quick like a band-aid, right" he said with profound hesitation in his voice.

"Do you still want my mom to come with us?"

"Of course! She is my ticket for a safe passage in and out of my house"

"Don't be so dramatic! They wouldn't hurt you" At that moment Lucas hangs his head and wont make eye contact."

"Lucas look at me have they ever laid a hand on you" Brayden of course says this with much venom in his voice and fire in his eyes.

"Not for a long time… but my dad did use to be abusive only when he drank though"

"That doesn't make it ok!" Brayden was practically foaming at the mouth by this time.

"It's not a big deal really"

"WHEN!"

"Does it really matter?"

"Yes" Brayden manage to sneer out through gritted teeth

"On and off for years, he's an alcoholic"

"Why didn't you call the cops?"

"He _is_ a cop remember" at this Brayden lost all control and was absolutely furious

"Brayden calm down seriously please for me!"

"You just told me he beat you, the man I love and you expect me to be ok with it! I think not"

"So your broken nose, your busted lip?" Lucas can't answer and just looked away shamefully

"I knew it!" Then there was a loud crash Brayden had punched the wall hitting a stud and in the process injured his hand severely (not that he felt it at the time)

"Where is he I'll rip him apart!" Of course having heard the commotion his mom came running to see what had happened. She arrived and was greeted with the sight of her sons' fist situated amongst the drywall. She looks inquiringly at Lucas who just stares at the wall Brayden had attacked moments before. With his heavy breathing he looked at his mom and almost inaudibly said,

"He beat him mom, he beat him!"

"Use to!" Lucas expresses after once again regaining the use of his mouth.

"Who beat who?"

"Lucas's dad use to get drunk and take his anger out on him" Her face drops and begins staring in disbelief.

"It's not that bad, really"

"Lucas hunny that's not safe for either of you." It took him a second to realize what she meant by 'either of you.'

"How about no matter what for the safety of all involved you move in here? How does that sound? … Ok?" He just silently nodded knowing there was no arguing and he knew deep down it was for the best but it's going to be difficult for sure.

"A little help would be appreciated this is really starting to hurt… please" He had the widest grin plastered on his face not knowing that it was obviously just a front trying to hide the pain he was in. The others in the room thought it was adorable but eventually decided he required some assistance extracting his hand and that they had had there fun. As soon as his hand was removed it became apparent he was in need of some serious medical attention.

"Lucas grab my keys would you?" she was busy keeping adequate pressure on her sons' hand.

"Want me to drive?'

"You up to it?"

"Oh hell yeah!"

"Mouth! young man"

"Sorry, which hospital?"

"St. Andrews it's the closest" Brayden groaned from the backseat

"Oh don't be such a baby"

"Shut up it hurts"

"Baby"

_At The Hospital_

While Brayden was down getting x-rays his mom and Lucas are left alone in the exam room.

"Not to be rude or intrusive but have you thought about how you're going to tell your family?"

"Honestly that's the last thing I want to deal with right now but I need to soon" a few moments of silence go by

"Do you think he's ok?"

"He's fine I am more concerned about you"  
"Don't be"

"Humor me will you… Are you ok?"

He was going to brush her off as he does everyone else however the genuine warmth and concern in her eyes stopped him therefore he opts to tell her the truth with some hesitation and difficulty he manages to answer all the while gaping as if he were a fish out of water.

"….No… but I am getting there and your son is a huge part of that. It's going to sound sappy but he truly is my other half" A smile graced his face as he thought about his love

"Thank you for being so honest with me it is comforting to know my son has someone who truly loves and cares for him."

"Thank you for accepting me in to your family even though most would see this baby as a way of ruining lives. It may sound stupid but I love this baby, I just found out he or she existed and I already love it." At this point she turns and grabs his hands compelling him to look directly into her eyes.

"It's not crazy at all, it tells me that even though this baby was unexpected its not unwanted and that my grandchild will be loved. It also tells me that the man my son loves has a pure heart and pure intentions" they exchange smiles amongst some tears before resuming their conversation.

"May I ask how soon you plan on telling your family?"

"I've made arrangements"

"Good"

"Can I ask you one question Mrs. Kirey?"

"Of course, anything"

"Did you mean what you said at the house? The part about me being family"

"Of course! That isn't to say that I am not mad, I'm furious, I just try to see the positives. Like the fact that it's a new life coming, granted the situation is not ideal but it rarely ever is."

"I never thought about it that way, thanks mo… I mean…Mrs." she cuts him off

"Anytime, and you know your more then welcome to call me mom"

"Thanks, mom I don't know what I would do with out the 2 of you" Just then the doctor walked in

"How is he doc no major damage I hope?"

"Unfortunately he has severely broken his hand and it will require surgery in order to heal correctly"

"Of course, do I need to sign anything?"

"Yes, the hippa agreement and a standard consent form along with a complete medical history would be helpful"

"When is the surgery?" The Doctor looked to the mother to make sure sharing the information with what appeared to be a complete stranger was ok of course she gives him the go ahead

"As soon as you finish the paper work"

"That's sudden"

"Don't worry the risks are extremely minor"

"Risks!" Mrs. Kirey placed a reassuring hand on Lucas' shoulder

"Yes every surgery has risks but they are very minor"

"Relax he will be fine, I'm sorry doctor we've had a long day and his hormones aren't helping"

"Hey! Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean you can pick on me that's not fair!"

"Congratulations Mr…?"

"Darion…for now anyways"

"Oh! He's your partner now it all makes sense"

"Yes, so please take good care of him"

"Of course, like I said it's a routine procedure" and after two firm handshakes he was on his way again

It seemed like days although it was merely a few hours Lucas fell asleep crumpled on the love seat as he refused to leave until he got to see Brayden, the poor thing feels like this was all his fault.

"Mrs. Kirey, Mr. Darion" both jumped to attention at the mention of there names

"Surgery went well he is in recovery"

"When can we see him" Lucas blurts out his voice still laced with sleep

"It will probably be something along the lines of an hour; he has a soft cast for now just until the swelling goes down so you must be careful"

"Yes yes of course as long as we get to see him soon"

"As soon as he is out of recovery I will let you know."

"Oh and I know its none of my business however you look like your pretty early in the pregnancy so if you don't have a doctor yet I can refer you to someone she is an excellent physician."

"I would appreciate that, thank you doctor" He smiled and left the room.

"What a relief"

"Yeah, it's too bad he's a big baby when it comes to pain he's going to be driving me insane!"

"He is going to be driving us both insane" says Brayden's mom with a slight chuckle

About an hour later

"Err… it hurts" was all they could make out of Brayden's garbled moans

"Oh no it's starting already" both conscious parties stifled a laugh

"Shut up it really hurts"

"That'll teach you to argue with a wall"

"I was upset what was I suppose to do?"

"I don't know obviously not that, how are you feeling other then the hand?"

"Like I've been hit by a bus"

"Sounds about right, but don't worry it'll get better with time"

"I know, I'm sorry if I scared either of you"

"Just don't do it again" they say in unison

"I think I can manage that" Just then a grimace graced his face and a nurse promptly injected something into an IV and checked his vitals for a few seconds before leaving them in peace

4 hours later

Lucas was fast asleep on the small couch in the corner of Brayden's hospital room

"Mom look how cute he is all curled up like that" he said as he gazed lovingly at Lucas

"You really love him don't you?"

"More then I could ever possibly express"

"Its not going to be easy you know"

"I know ma but its ok, I love him… and I already love that baby"

His mom just looked upon her son so proud of the man he was becoming.

TBC…


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

It had been 2 weeks since the surgery and the doctors said Brayden's hand was healing well to spite all of his complaining. However the pregnancy was visibly wearing on Lucas, he looked like crap and felt even worse which he didn't hesitate to blame Brayden for, throwing a few well placed "I hate you's" his way usually from the bathroom floor or hunched over a trashcan. Brayden of course couldn't deny that he was partially responsible after all it does take 2. He would usually respond with less than tasteful remarks, even in public.

"I seem to remember a certain someone begging and pleading, and if memory serves saying something like **'Fuck me, fuck me hard I need you now'.** " Prompting some rather harsh remarks from Lucas, which he knew was from the hormones yet couldn't resist messing with him.

"Bite me"

"Would love to just tell me where" Brayden said with a cheeky smile and hunger clearly evident in his eyes. He would like nothing more than to ravage his love senseless.

"Hardy har har very funny, maybe we should trade places for a while see how you like it?"

Brayden's usual retort to that was "no thanks I'll let you have all the fun" humor clearly evident in his voice

Lucas has been extremely exhausted lately and having to deal with Braydens' complaints and smart ass remarks wasn't helping the situation. In fact it was making one very cranky lover boy for Brayden to deal with. Their first OB appointment was in a few days and had yet to tell Any of Lucas' family members about the coming arrival. He was weary of the idea but knowing Brayden and his mom would be there was comforting. They could act as human shields just in case worst comes to worst, which in all likelihood knowing his family it will.

"Babe it's ok to be nervous about telling your parents"

"Nervous ha, I AM FUCKING TERRIFIED!" he said all the while pacing the room

"Babe I really think you are over reacting, it will all work out" to spite his best efforts to calm and reassure his love, he remained petrified

"No Brayden it won't, you don't know them like I do. They are going to kill me, as in dead. What if they start getting physical, Huh?... they could really hurt us physically or the baby." At this point Lucas was in tears and on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"Lucas Aiden Darion you look at me right now." He grabbed Lucas' chin turning it upright so they were staring into each other's eyes

"You listen up and listen good, I will NEVER…NEVER let ANYTHING happen to you nor this baby, don't you realize I would give my life for you in a heartbeat. I love you that will never change, you understand, NEVER" He received a pitiful nod with tears forming in both their eyes as Brayden pulled him into a tight embrace not caring that his shirt was being covered with tears.

"You are aware my family owns guns right?" Lucas said in a quivering voice as he pushed against Brayden's chest trying to break the embrace so they could be face to face again. Quickly realizing it was hopeless he relented and used a combination of the back of his hand and Brayden's shirt to wipe away the tears.

Lucas collapsed into Brayden all he could do was attempt to catch them both all the while trying to make the smoothest transition of positions as possible, eventually falling onto the bed with Lucas against his chest. He gave a soft kiss to his forehead trying to reassure him that he is safe. Brayden held him tight until he fell into a restless sleep, then stripped both of them down to their boxers before crawling into bed himself to resume his previous position.

**NSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNS NSNSNS**

Brayden woke up to the feeling of Lucas shaking with small whimpers emanating from his gorgeous frame. His face was contorted nothing like his loves usual sweet angelic face. He tried to calm him down without waking him by gently stroking strands of hair out of his face, however as soon as he did so Lucas shot up with such force Brayden's cast hit the bed frame making a load clang which was followed by a sharp intake of air. By the time he could think clearly again, He started searching the still dark room for Lucas. He found him quickly he was in the corner curled up as tight as physically possible. Ignoring the searing pain in his hand, he rushed to Lucas' side.

"Babe what is it, what's going on?...should I call a doctor, what can I do…..Tell me what's wrong, your scaring me"

All that he received in return was muffled cries and garbled words he could only make out one word which was nightmare. The only thing he could think of to do was comfort his distraught lover so he held him tight while gently stroking his hair hoping he would be calm enough to talk in the near future.

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"Babe what's wrong, what was your nightmare about? Please tell me" It took a good hour or so for Brayden to get Lucas back into bed, they were laying together with Lucas clinging to Brayden as if he were a life boat.

"I dreamt about telling my parents and their reaction to the news"

"You aren't alone in this, it will all work out. I will be there as will my mother and you know how she is about family"

"They are going to hate me… I know it, they aren't like your family. "

"Did you forget what my mom said earlier?" Lucas lifts his tear ridden face just enough to meet Brayden's gaze, he then proceeds to return his face to its original position leaning against Brayden's chest while shaking his head no.

"You are a part of this family whether you like it or not (said with a slight smirk on his face). You will always have a safe place to stay ok, you are taking up permanent residence in my arms." He says with a cocky over confident grin, Lucas didn't need to look to figure that out. Brayden received a small chuckle at the comment, it took time but the sobs became less and less frequent then stopping all together, his tears wiped away by Brayden's large thumbs with a little difficulty before he planted a prolonged gentle kiss to his forehead.

"I love you always and forever you've got my heart, you are loved that will never change. Hell my mom treats you more like family then she does me * small chuckle*. Don't worry about anything it WILL be ok, I promise. The pressure you are putting on yourself isn't healthy and is not good for either of you, just try not to worry so much" He places another soft kiss to the top of Lucas's head as he simultaneously reaffirms the hug with a quick gentle squeeze. He proceeds to get up encouraging Lucas to do the same however he was fast asleep. Brayden let him sleep in while he took a shower and got ready for the day.

**NSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNS NS**

The shower was so refreshing he hadn't realized how stressed he was about the whole situation until the hot water hit him, he stood there head down hand against the wall letting the water just fall down his back for a good 10 min before he heard a crash and thud. He immediately wrenched the towel from the rack so violently that one side was ripped from the wall. He never could have been prepared for what he saw, his heart sank as all color drained from his face, and breathing ceased. He was frozen in place for what felt like an eternity even though it was mere seconds that had passed before he could think again. Next thing he knew he was running as fast he could across the room skidding on his still wet knees to where his love lay.

"MOM!, CALL 911!" he screamed as loud as was physically possible, Panic and horror clearly evident in his voice.

Furiously dialing 911 on her cell while simultaneously running towards the room in a state of panic unsure of what site would soon greet her, the second she reached the door it was clearly evident they needed help and fast. She saw her son in just a towel and next to him Lucas convulsing violently. She threw the cell at Brayden and rushed to Lucas' side thankful she was a nurse and knew how to handle the situation until help arrived.

"911 what is your emergency?"

"It's…its mmmy Boyfriend Lucas, we need an ambulance please hurry!"

"Ok sir I need you to say calm, can you do that for me? Take a few deep breathes" Brayden did as he was instructed not that it helped calm him much, before he answered with an

"Mhmm" in a quivering voice as he watched the sight in front of him unfold

"Ok good, what's your address?"

"It's umm, 14...32 west Lermont Street, Martinsville, Indiana 50432"

"Alright sir they are on their way, what exactly is the nature of your emergency"

"I…I...I don't know what happened he...he...he was fine a few minutes ago" at this point he was really starting to shut down and hyperventilate, his mind was quickly losing all comprehensible thought.

"Sir,… sir stay with me, what exactly is going on?"

"He is convulsing and there's blood everywhere"

"Does he have a history of seizures, pre-existing medical conditions, or drug use?"

"No, nothing he has always been relatively healthy"

"Any chance of pregnancy"

"Ye…e..ah we just found out"

"How far along is he?"

"We aren't sure, our first OB appointment isn't for a few days"

"How old is he?"

"18"

"Is anyone else there with you?"

"Yeaa mmmy mom she's a nurse, please hurry"

"Please sir you need to stay calm the paramedics are in route and will be there momentarily, is the front door unlocked?"

"I...I.I don't know"

"Ok go now and check" He did as instructed even though every fiber of his being was screaming not to leave Lucas' side.

"It's open, I can hear sirens"

"Ok good, now go outside so you can direct them on where Lucas is. I'm going to stay on the phone with you until they get there ok"

"I see them!" he didn't wait for the dispatchers' response and quickly hung up, sprinting into the middle of the road in just a towel to stop them just in case. The paramedics came to a dead stop, hoping out and running towards the back of the vehicle unloading the stretcher that held the oxygen, medical kits and the code kit.

"Follow me hurry, this way!" Brayden yelled as he ran back into the house paramedics close on his heels. When they finally reached Brayden's room he saw his mom propping Lucas up so he stayed on his left side, he was completely still and unconscious. Brayden was positively horrified at the amount of blood on both his mother and the surrounding furniture. The paramedics took over from there, putting a brace on his neck and sliding him onto a back board before lifting him to the stretcher. One began to strap Lucas down while the other put an oxygen mask and leads on him. The room was soon filled with loud rhythmic beeping, they checked for equal breath sounds then started to rush him into the ambulance. When Brayden started to climb into the ambulance only to receive a forearm across his chest and a stern look from the paramedic who it belonged too.

"I'm sorry sir you can't come with us, meet us at St. Andrews"

"Try and stop me, that's my partner and child in there" he said in a gravelly voice with fire burning deep in his eyes there was no stopping him and the paramedic knew it he quickly removed his arm allowing Brayden entry they closed the doors and started their journey to the hospital lights and sirens blaring all the way. In route they began to asses him further palpating his abdomen and trying to figure out where all the blood was coming from. The amount of gauze that was needed to clean his face of blood was beyond concerning and in all truth made his stomach churn. They found that when he had gone into the seizure he bit his tongue badly and must have hit his head on the corner of the nightstand as he had a large gash across his right temple. They taped a pressure bandage on to it then tried to assess his mental status checking reflexes watching his pupils very closely making sure the pressure in his brain was staying stable until they arrived at St. Andrews. As soon as they walked through the trauma entrance they were greeted by a series of medical professionals the one who appeared to be in charge started asking questions.

"What do we got?"

"18 year old Caucasian male, no known allergies to medications, no history of epileptic episodes or pre-existing conditions, head lack to the right temple, unconscious, pupils equal and reactive, vitals stable, pregnant with an unknown date of gestation."

"Whose he?" she said pointing to Lucas

"The partner" Both paramedics received the same dirty look from the staff

"We didn't have the time to waste arguing and he was frighteningly intent on staying by his side"

As they approached the trauma bay Brayden was forbidden to go any further, and needless to say he did not voluntarily make his way to the waiting area. About 10 min after they had arrived, Brayden's mother came crashing through the doors of the trauma waiting area still covered in Lucas' blood. She searched the room frantically until she saw her son they both stood and gave each other a long hug before sitting back down. They had given Brayden some scrubs to change into due to his state of undress at the time of arrival.

"Any news?" Brayden was crying silently ringing his hands while staring at the floor as he shook his head to the negative

"Don't worry he's going to be ok"

"Oh really how do you figure that? Have you seen yourself, the amount of blood you're covered in?"

"Well head wounds bleed a lot and one thing that's working in his favor is the pregnancy, his blood volume has increased significantly. His heart beat was strong and steady when we left the house. I doubt he has any intention of leaving us, he's tuff and stubborn just like you. It will be ok" Brayden scoffed at the irony

"What?"

"Nothing, just that's what I kept telling Lucas about this whole situation and now I'm not so sure" she pulled him into a hug and they both began to let go of all the pent up emotions they were feeling.

"We have to have faith, that's all we can do right now"

"I can't lose him mom I can't, I won't survive it and I don't want to" now both were sobbing into each other

"I know baby, I know." As she held him in her arms slowly rocking back and forth while trying to be strong for her son

"I know you may not want to hear this right now but, don't you think we should inform his family" Brayden became enraged at this and tore out of the embrace standing up so fast he almost fell backwards, glaring daggers at his mother with gritted teeth.

"You think they deserve to know anything in regards to him, after knowing how they treat him… what they have done to him! The day I ever call them is the day hell freezes over!" he stormed off to the other side of the room leaning against the wall with only his forehead and hands resting on it. He was so overwhelmed with worry and guilt feeling as though he should have been able to do more for his love, prevented it somehow. What if we lose the baby, I would never forgive myself and Lucas, I don't think he could handle another loss in his life. Poor kids never had it easy and deserved so much more. Just as he was about to bang his head against the wall for the fourth time he heard.

"Group for Lucas Darion?" Both rushed over to the doctor who asked them to follow him into a more private room. The tension was visible as they followed him and were instructed to take a seat. Before the doctor could even begin to speak Brayden started in on the questions.

"Tell me he's ok? Tell me what's going on? What's wrong with him!"

"It seems that Mr. Darion"

"His name is LUCAS!"

"Alright Lucas, but sir I must insist you take a deep breath and try to stay calm."

"Heh stay calm are you Fucking kidding me right now?" he stood up with such ferocity that the chair he was sitting in went flying clear across the room as his rage and concern got the better of him. Now looming over the doctor's desk glaring intently into his eyes

"How am I supposed to stay calm? The most important people in the world to me are here, in this hospital and the only person that can tell me if they are dead or alive isn't telling me anything and you want me to stay calm! Not a chance in hell!"

"Honey he's just trying to do his job and you aren't making that any easier. I apologize for his behavior, it has been a rather ruff couple days I'm sure you've noticed the cast on my sons hand."

"I understand and am not offended this is a quite common reaction to trauma such as this."

"God damn it, tell me what's going on with him!" he was near seething and resembled a rabid dog by this point

"Lucas….

**TBC…**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Lucas is alive and stable at the moment" The doctor was quickly cut off by Brayden

"What happened and why? Where did all the blood come from?"

"Almost all of the blood appears to have come from his head laceration it went down to the bone unfortunately it did end up fracturing his skull. This has caused his brain to swell, as well as what's called a subdural hematoma. Which means that blood has pooled in the space between his skull and brain, it is a form of traumatic brain injury. The blood loss was substantial however as I'm assuming your mother has told you, the pregnancy has worked in his favor as his overall blood volume has increased, without that he most likely would have bled out before reaching the hospital. However he still required a transfusio…" she was again cut off by Brayden when he shot up from his seat and shouted

"Transfusion He's A negative!...we are both A NEGATIVE here TAKE MINE! As much as you need TAKE IT!" he franticly began pushing up his sleeve not thinking clearly, then proceeded to thrust his arm into the doctors direct line of vision with an impatient and panicked expression, exposing the pale flesh and blue veins that lay beneath.

"Mr. Kirey"

"BRAYDEN!"

"Ok… Brayden" still holding the intense eye to eye contact to be sure he understood what she said next

"That will not be necessary we type and cross every emergency patient's blood when they are first admitted its standard procedure to ensure we always have enough type specific blood on hand. He is in the middle of receiving the transfusion as we speak" The doctor took a short pause seeing how defeated Brayden looked as he plopped back down on the couch and pulled at his hair. The one thing that he could have done for Lucas had already been taken care of. He was briefly brought back to reality, when the doctor placed a hand on his shoulder and continued to address him directly.

"I know all of this is incredibly frightening and stressful but you have to pull it together and stay strong not only for Lucas, but your unborn child."

'Traumatic brain injury… Skull fracture' these words filled his head, along with the disbelief that this was happening he was supposed to protect Lucas, he had one job ONE! And he had failed. With his mom being a nurse he knew enough to know how serious these injuries are.

"He's going to be ok though, right?" his eyes pleading that the next words out of her mouth would be 'yes' or 'of course' instead she paused and took in a deep breath

"This… is a very serious injury."

With that Brayden felt as though all the air had been sucked from the room.

His mother saw the look on her sons face while he was doing his best to process the information being given.

Every time he tried to speak or ask a question his mouth felt as dry as the Sahara desert all he could manage was to ironically look like a fish out of water but no sound would come out apart from the occasional squeak, finally he stopped trying all together. His mother sat helplessly as she watched her son begin to lose all comprehensive thought, his brain shutting down from the overload of thoughts and emotion. She soon saw his eyes glaze over and knew he was unable to continue the conversation at this point in time but knowing he would want answers, she took over.

"Is he going to need surgery?"

"I don't have an answer to that at the present time, it all depends on how his body reacts to the injury. If his brain continues to swell or the hematoma continues to increase in size, we will have too. Mostly likely it will involve removing a small part of his skull to evacuate the clot, or possibly remove a larger portion of the skull to allow the brain room to swell without causing further damage. All of this depends on how his brain reacts and heals."

"What do you mean by further damage?"

"Unfortunately he has yet to regain consciousness; he also has had no response to painful stimuli and has not shown any purposeful movement. There is no way to tell when or if he will regain consciousness, with these type of injuries we just… don't know how it will all play out I'm sorry. We do know that the next couple days are critical. I also need to inform you that the longer he remains unconscious his chances of waking up and making a full recovery decrease significantly. Hopefully the next few days will give us more insight into the extent of injury and I can provide a more accurate prognosis, but for now all we can do is wait and see."

"Do we know why he was seizing in the first place?"

"We still don't have an answer as to what caused the seizure. It could have something to do with the pregnancy, but as of right now we don't have many answers, I'm sorry."

Brayden snapped out of his horrid thoughts long enough to ask one question

"Did we…did we lose the baby?" it was said in a hushed tone much like a whisper all the while his gaze fixed on the floor. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer but knew Lucas would want him to ask

"He has not miscarried and the fetus' heartbeat is strong."

At this Brayden's façade completely crumbled, collapsing on to the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest and face buried into the space between them with arms crossed as to hide any hint of emotion. He sat there letting out tears he had been holding back, tears of fear, heartbreak and elation. He was beyond happy that his love and unborn child are alive, but at the same time terrified he might soon lose them both.

The doctor gave a slight smile which may have seemed inappropriate in that moment but she was happy to see that even though they were young and the baby was most likely un-anticipated it was neither unwanted nor unloved. They truly loved each other which is a rare find in this day and age, for a person of any age or orientation.

Brayden knew he needed to be strong for Lucas' sake and his own. He knows that Lucas has a long and difficult recovery ahead, but is a fighter and lives by a quote from Winston Churchill 'Never give up, never surrender'. It is something he never forgot to remind Brayden of when times were tough. He resolved to follow that to the letter for Lucas, he wiped away the tears with the heal of his good hand and returned to his seat on the couch awaiting whatever else the doctor had to say.

"The Sub-Dural hematoma requires close monitoring. Unfortunately we are unable to give him a majority of the medications we would normally use for this type of injury because of the pregnancy, we are doing all we can to keep on top of everything."

"I don't mean to be rude, but you did not exactly answer my sons' earlier question?"

"That is because as I stated earlier this type of injury is very unpredictable, I cannot tell you what the outcome will be or what the next couple of days or even hours will look like" at this the doctor started to turn and leave but was stopped by a hand on her arm.

"Wait, can I see him?"

"I am afraid not, he is too unstable for visitors at the moment I will let you know when things change but as for now… I suggest you both go home and get some rest. OB will be coming first thing in the morning to do an ultrasound, Brayden may be present during the exam and after we can re-evaluate his visitation status." With that and a nod of her head, the doctor dismissed herself.

**NSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNS**

BACK AT THE HOUSE

Getting Brayden to leave the hospital was needless to say, like pulling teeth without anesthetic. The second they got back to the house he locked himself in his room not that he could or was planning on sleeping. Instead he spent his time alternating between sobbing into one of Lucas' jackets, staring off into space with a blank expression or screaming at the top of his lungs.

'SCREAMING'

"You can't do this, you can't! You hear me you cannot have them and I am gonna fight like HELL to make sure you don't get me either. But If you have to take someone you can have ME got it ME, but you CAN NOT have them!"

**NSNNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNS**

THE NEXT MORNING

7 a.m. bright and early Brayden was pacing the entrance to the intensive care unit looking like he had been run over by a mac truck but anxiously awaiting the ultrasound techs arrival so he could see Lucas. Even if Lucas didn't know he was there he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he had missed the first ultrasound. The techs finally arrived, 22 minutes late but he didn't want to forfeit his one chance thus far to see Lucas. He followed them into his room, the frustration and anxiety forcing him to bite his lip so hard it began to bleed all the while not making any audible noise though his heart was breaking at the site of His love in front of him. He almost didn't look alive his normally rosy cheeks were ashen his lips white as the sheets he was laying on. Most all he could see was equipment and tubes having no knowledge of the function most of them perform yet knowing that Lucas needed all of them just to survive at the moment was enough. It made him weak in the knees wanting nothing more than to collapse next to his love and never get up. He resisted this urge knowing he owed it to all involved to keep strong and persevere through these unbearable times.

BRAYDENS' THOUGHTS

'How can I keep breathing knowing that at any moment his may cease, how can he do this. What will I do without him… what if he never wakes up and I am lucky enough to be around to raise this baby and it's without him, could I bare it? Raising our child without him, then again how would he feel waking up to raise this child without me. I mean I am sure mom would help but it isn't her responsibility it's ours… we are supposed to do this together dammit.

REALITY

He was snapped out of these thoughts by one of the ultrasound technicians who had noticed his absent minded gaze and compensated with a louder tone of voice intending to do just that, shock him back to reality.

"Do you want to see?" It took him a second to realize what the tech was referring to, he looked at the transducer pressed against Lucas' lower abdomen then to the tech holding it there, when it clicked. He silently shook his head 'yes' wiping away a few tears he hadn't known had fallen, then followed the tech who had approached him to begin with, over to the screen. To the untrained eye it appeared to just be a series of moving black, white and grey images before the technician began to elaborate as to what he was looking at.

"This black circle right here (encircling it with the mouse) is the embryonic sac and that there (pointing to grey mass inside of it) that is your baby." Brayden's eyes were fixed on the screen now waiting for more information.

"Ok, you see that? What looks like flickering… that's the heart, would you like to hear the heartbeat?" again shaking his head to the affirmative as he couldn't seem to summon the words from within himself. After a few clicks and a quick repositioning of the transducer the small room was filled with what in his inexperienced opinion was an extremely fast rhythmic wooshing sound. Knowing that was the heartbeat immediately struck fear into his already fragile heart and soul. His resolve at this point was all but gone and hanging on by a thread at best, if something was wrong with the baby it would most assuredly snap.

"One moment let me separate Lucas' heartbeat from the baby's so it's more defined" after punching what he could only assume was directions for the machine he heard it, slower than before but still quite fast. He put 2 fingers to his carotid and stared at his watch for 15 seconds counting to make sure it was accurate, and after it was multiplied by 4 he was positive the heart rate was extremely fast. He then looked at the techs faces which were turning red from lack of oxygen in an attempt to be respectful. Meanwhile his was stricken with terror and uncertainty before both of the ultrasound techs inhaled sharply, before bursting out with laughs and snickers after seeing what he was doing because they knew exactly what and why he was doing that. Brayden didn't understand what was so funny and grabbed the tech that was standing closest by his shirt collar shoving him hard against the wall with a fist raised ready to strike not caring about his hand, while the tech attempted to shield his face from the imminent blow. All were unaware to the fact that the doctor was approaching.

"Mr. Kirey please, there is no need for that" the doctor said calmly as she walked in for her morning rounds

"Shame on you two, he has more than enough to worry about!" This time addressing the technicians directly in a stern, scolding voice that left no room for argument.

"Mr. Kirey… my apologies, allow me to apologize upon their behalves I know it does not excuse their seemingly incredibly inappropriate behavior however they are fairly new and not use to dealing with…." At this point she realized she had proverbially put her foot in her mouth, luckily Brayden finished what she was attempting not to say.

"Those in more pleasant situations" Brayden finished her sentence already beginning to loosen his grip on the young techs scrubs

"Yes, I am truly sorry for their behavior" all he could manage was a disheartened shake of his head

"Both of you OUT… NOW" she demanded of the techs but definitely took her time in reading them the riot act once outside of the room, although he barely noticed as he had made his way back to the other side of Lucas' hospital bed. He picked up his loves lifeless hand squeezing it between his own then bringing it up to his face while mouthing 'please come back to me my love, I need you…we need you. I can't do this alone, please wake up…please' against it as tears slowly and silently began streaming down his face before hearing the door to the room open. He quickly wiped the tears away in hopes she hadn't seen. If she did she was kind enough not to say anything, just gave him a warm comforting smile.

"Again I am so sorry about that I will personally see to it that they won't set foot in this room again, I will continue the exam for the moment" He just shook his head to the affirmative, never moving Lucas' hand from his own face. She continued the exam completing it without another word before asking.

"Do you have any questions?" he was about to shake his head 'no' when he paused

"Any Idea when he will wake up?"

"We still don't know but the fact that he made it through the night with no further complications is a great sign, anything else?"

"The sound they said was the baby's heartbeat it was awfully fast, is…is the baby ok?" she again smiled warmly

"The baby is doing just fine, the heart rate is supposed to be much faster than an adults." With a sniffle he then asked

"How far along is he?"

"Looks to be about… 8-10 weeks" Brayden broke out into a giant cheesy grin remembering exactly when their child was conceived. He counted back and under his breath with a small smirk said

"9 weeks 2 days"

"Excuse me?" asked the doctor

"He's 9 weeks 2 days, I just counted it was, well it was…a truly perfect evening" with that the doctor just gave a sweet smile

"If you have no further questions I'll be going, and as for the time being he is stable enough for you to stay." He gave her a thankful smile and nod before returning to his previous position staring longingly at Lucas praying he would open those gorgeous eyes of his. He was comforted by the memories of the night their child was conceived but that wasn't enough the despair and heartbreak were still there. He had to wake up he just had too, there were things he needed to know and this baby needed at least one of its parents.

"Love if you can hear me you need to wake up, I need you…we need you. This baby needs you (at this point breaking into full blown sobbing not caring who saw or heard) I….I can't promise I will be here in a few months nobody can, and it's not because I don't want to be. I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you and I know in my heart you feel the same way; I was going to wait until…hell *heh* I have had it planned for months now, down to the very last detail" said as he began to slide an engraved band onto Lucas' left hand.

"I had this made special, just for you. It says… *clears throat* it says 'Forever and always you have my heart'. One thing I can promise you is that I will fight, remember? 'I'll fight til' the bitter end', as long as you promise to do the same." Though his eyes held tears he was smiling, it was there song after all. With that he let go of Lucas' hand and with one last look at his love, exited the room to face a different battle.

TBC…

DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN ANY RIGHTS TO "Fight til' the bitter end" by Black tide


	5. Chapter 5

9 days later

"Any change in his prognosis doc?" Brayden asked rubbing his eyes sleepily from his position in the chair he had dragged over several days prior, when they said he was stable enough to have one person stay the night. Which of course he jumped at, luckily both their mothers understood and allowed that one person to be Brayden. He chose to stay in the chair as to let him be closer to Lucas than a cot would allow for. It was also the perfect way to make sure nobody found out the other reason he had to hang around the hospital.

"Well his intracranial pressure has been holding steady at or around normal since about day 5. He is reacting to painful stimuli and displaying what seems to be some purposeful movement. One thing we do know for sure is that Lucas will have to remain on medication for at least the remainder of the pregnancy, but as long as he sticks to the regiment of medications there should be no further complications."

"So you have determined conclusively that the pregnancy did in fact cause the seizure?" she paused at this question

"No, but all the other tests we have run have come back normal so it seems likely that the extra strain on his body from the pregnancy produced a seizure, it isn't extremely common but not unheard of either."

"You said he will have to be on medication, what kind of medication? Will it hurt the baby?"

"The medication is not without its risks but his risk of seizure is far greater than any side effect. If he has another seizure there is no telling what could happen to either of them, the baby may not… fair as well the next time." She said these words carefully and with compassion to try and comfort the boy's already fragile heart.

"So, do you…do you think you'll allow him to wake up soon?"

"It is still too early to tell"

"Please" He said this with such deep sorrow and heartache that she couldn't deny him such a simple request

"However… the team and I have discussed his case in length and he has several things going for him he's young and previously healthy. We do believe that as long as he regains consciousness within a reasonable amount of time after being taken off the sedatives, he should achieve a full recovery. As to when that is, is nearly impossible to say."

"How long after he wakes up until he can come home?"

"Hard to tell maybe a week, all depends on how his body reacts and its ability to heal. If he continues to remain stable over the course of the next day or so, the repeat scans show minimal swelling and that his skull is healing as expected, we will wean him off of the sedatives completely. As long as he has no repeat seizures within the 2-4 days following that, he will be discharged with some medication and put on bed rest for an as yet undetermined amount of time."

"Thank you"

"You are more than welcome, but again I can make no promises"

"Hey doc can you do one more thing?" she nodded to the affirmative

"Would you mind talking to everyone in waiting about all of this?"

"Not at all" she left the room with a nod and a smile

"See babe, you're going to be ok. We're all going to be ok" noticing the time he lays a few gentle kisses and giving a light squeeze to the hand that dawns the small but meaningful metal band before taking his leave. He couldn't help but to glance back when he reached the doors threshold for a glimpse to give him strength before heading down the hall.

NSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNS

"Here by yourself again I see"

"Yup, how else am I supposed to get anything done?" It was said with a small smile and laugh but everyone knew it wasn't real because most of them had tried to put on that same brave face when they first got here.

"I think again is a bit of an exaggeration don't you? It's only my first infusion, besides why would I involve them in this its 6-8 hours of just sitting here. how could I ask anyone to come with me to this, let alone tell them about it right now tell me could you if you were me. With the shape Lucas is in?" He was met with silence "Yeah I didn't think so, besides if anything happens they are still here in the hospital just not in this part."

"I think you are underestimating the severity of this regiment and its side effects. You are going to need someone here with you the sooner the better; you won't be able to hide this for very longer you know that right?"

This conversation was really irritating him he tried to tell himself it was the lack of sleep that was making him so short tempered but he had this nagging feeling it was because he knew they were right and that he should tell someone in his life. But who? The one person he immediately wanted to run too was still a patient in this very same hospital just 2 floors away. With everything that is going on its not like he can just blurt it out; how was he suppose to explain all of this to them without it just making him seem like a coward who refused to face reality. So he opted for what he felt was closest to the truth at the moment.

"I know and I will… soon, he will be here with me soon." The second part was said almost in a whisper but was still audible

"Alrighty then are you ready, do you need anything before we begin?"

"Nope I got my warm blanket, some tunes (holds up I pod) a book and one of those jolly ranchers" he said with a hollow smile as he popped the cherry flavored candy into his mouth. He knew she was just trying to do her job but he feels guilty enough about it already.

"Ok, here we go then" she pushed the hubris needle into the port they had implanted in his chest a couple days earlier, flushing it with heparin then saline which smelled and tasted like nothing he could even begin to describe, thus the Jolly rancher basket on the counter when you entered the infusion room. Before he knew it she was pushing the Benadryl and had switched everything out for one of his very own 'IV bags of Death' as many down here affectionately call them.

"Here is a bucket just in case, and I will be around if you need anything" she glanced at him her eyes filled with sorrow, it dawned on him that all his medications and IV bags have a label with his name on them, his full name. She must know his mother that's why she reacted like that to his solo arrival, his heart stilled for a moment before the fear abated when he remembered she can't tell her because of patient privacy. He couldn't imagine how hard that would be looking a friend or even acquaintance in the eye and having to keep a secret like this from them for no other reason than it's your job. He felt mildly guilty for his earlier reaction but wasn't in the mood to apologize either so he gave her a small smile, which she returned. Then off she went to take care of the other patients. Just as he was about to put his headphones in he began looking around at all of the other patients. For what seemed like the first time he really looked at them and realized that much sooner than he would like he would start needing help with even the simplest of tasks just as most of them already did. That's when it really started to sink in

'I have cancer'

**Sorry for the short chapter but I really have been trying to get this one out for awhile and I also thought this would be a great way to end this chapter I will do my best to get this next one out in a better time frame.**

_I don't own the rights to any of the name brand items mentioned in this chapter_


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